Stellar
by resile
Summary: The city smelled of sweet basil, or maybe sage. The Doctor had some business to tend to. Jack had something particular in mind. Rose was mainly just along for the ride.


Thank you tkross for the beta!

Warning: Marijuana use.

* * *

"S'weird," Rose said, stepping out of the TARDIS. "I only got up a few hours ago, but it's nighttime here."

Lucis Honoratae had a certain vibrance to it, the kind that made you want to sink right in: eat the food, kiss a stranger, and all that. The towering city was cast in deep green light and a smell hung in the air like sweet basil, or maybe sage. It was incredibly warm, almost sticky out, even without a sun in the sky. The people were humanoid but feathered, their faces owl-like, and their bodies were multicoloured and bright. They bustled through the crowded, narrow streets, some walking with large lizards on leads like they were dogs.

Rose stared for a few long seconds, at the green and the haze and the people. She felt a whoosh of air hit the back of her neck and looked up to find the Doctor next to her, Jack trailing behind.

"You're thinking in linear time," the Doctor said, one hand stuck in the pocket of his leather jacket. "There's no day or night on the TARDIS. When we arrive doesn't matter, so long as we pick the time that's right for our destination."

"And Honorataeans are nocturnal," Jack continued, slinging an arm around Rose's shoulders and looking out into the crowd. "Think of it like the day… Only it's night."

"Have they got a day?" Rose asked. "Or is it dark all the time?"

In lieu of an answer, the Doctor smiled wide, without teeth showing, his lips stretching until the apples of his cheeks looked quite plump. He lifted his eyebrows, as if to say 'you'll see,' and then dropped the face altogether, looking from Rose to Jack. "I've got a few things to tend to."

"Oh, I'll show her around," Jack said.

"You're leaving?" Rose asked, and bit her lip.

"Yep! Behave," the Doctor said, pointing a finger at Jack.

Jack chuckled. "Don't you worry."

"Never stop worrying, me," the Doctor said. "Try not to make it worse."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Jack said.

"Six o'clock, Prospectus Tower," the Doctor said and with one last, serious look, he turned, disappearing into the crowd in a matter of seconds.

"What's he in such a rush for?" Rose asked, as Jack laughed against her.

"Who knows. Can't complain, though! Got you all to myself."

They began walking, slowly, surveying the sights and catching curious stares from the people around them, who were no doubt wondering why they were plucked. He moved his arm off of her shoulders so she could walk more freely, letting his Greatcoat swish behind him.

"Came here in 5204 with an old friend," Jack said. "Spent a week in the city. We totally disregarded our orders from the Time Agency, played hookie instead. Normally, that wouldn't matter. Got a vortex manipulator, so you can just get to your assignment when you feel like it. But by the time we left, we couldn't remember what it was we were supposed to be doing in the first place. So we showed up back at the Time Agency stinking of gemma and pizza and…" He whistled. "The dressing down they gave us was second only to the dressing down we gave each other. With a few feathery bystanders."

Rose laughed, shaking her head. "God. Every single one of your stories ends with you starkers. It never fails!"

"Naked's generally my preference. Gotta say, though," he winked at a woman walking by, "I do love the feathers."

"Why am I not surprised?" Rose turned her head, catching his eye with a grin as she bit her tongue.

"If you see any Avian-human hybrids with brown hair and piercing blue eyes, just don't mention it." He tilted his head. "Though, even so, I couldn't be sure they were mine in this particular case."

Rose laughed again. "Can't believe the Doctor's gone and missed your bird story. What time is it now?"

Jack looked at the band on his wrist. "Four in the morning. Pretty late here, but they keep busy right till the dawn."

"So we've got two hours to ourselves?" Rose asked. "Six o'clock, that's what he said."

"Good point. We'd better hurry up."

"Hurry up to where?"

He grinned. "You'll see."

* * *

They stopped in front of a street vendor, who popped his head up, surveying them with his angular, yellow eyes. His cart was much like those she was familiar with in London, only instead of food, there were plants hanging in the window, and the earthy smell Rose had first noticed when she stepped outside was stronger here.

Jack approached the cart with an analytical expression on his face, surveying the plant in the window like he was looking over a bottle of fine wine.

"Gemma, sir?" the vendor asked.

"Let me see the blossoms you're working with," Jack said, extending his hand.

The man tugged a red, furry blossom off the plant and handed it to Jack, who held it to his face and inhaled, long and deep. He tilted his head to the side and nodded, handing the plant back. Rose took a smaller sniff, looking up at the display, and suddenly it clicked. That smell iwas/i rather familiar.

"That'll do. One, please," Jack said, his most charming smile shining in the green light.

The vendor nodded, receding into the back of his cart, and Jack shot a grin at Rose.

"Just you wait," he said.

The vendor produced a small but thick cigarette a moment later and Jack thanked him, handing the man a credit stick and telling him to put a five credit tip on their bill. He motioned at Rose with his head and started walking away, beckoning her to follow.

"'Stinking of gemma and pizza,' you said. Thought that was a person, but..." Rose looked at him with narrowed eyes as he placed the cigarette between his lips.

"We'll see about the pizza after," Jack said. "Shall we have a seat?"

Rose bit her lip, quiet, and followed him over to a table in front of some sort of cafe. She wondered if maybe Honorataeans drank their coffee in the 'mornings' like humans. The rest of the city was bustling, but the seating outside this particular cafe was nearly empty.

"So what, then, you bought us a blunt?" Rose asked. It was hard to tell if the inside of the cigarette was green, when the light was so green everywhere she looked.

"A blunt?" Jack asked.

"Y'know. Spliff? Joint?"

He looked at her with a blank face.

"It's weed, isn't it? Marijuana? That's what we call it. I wasn't thinking at first, thought that smell was sage or something, but now… I mean, it smells like my mate Jay's place before he joined up with the navy." She laughed. "Didn't reckon you'd go in for that sort of thing."

"Why not?" He regarded her with a neutral, confused expression.

"You know what? No. You're right. You would. You so would."

"And you wouldn't? It's way less toxic than alcohol, and we both know the way you put away those margaritas last week."

"No, I mean. I just haven't, in a while. And isn't it too hot out to be smoking, anyway?"

"Nah. The smoke is cool. And very mellow. A nice body buzz. You can tell by the red in it. Here, check it out." Jack extended his hand, and Rose took the joint from him, looking it over. It was thick but short, and seemed like it might burn slowly, not like those thin little things she and her mates used to roll before class that went up in a flame and nearly singed your eyelashes off every time you took a drag.

"Is it legal here?" she asked, handing him back the cigarette.

He gave her a look that said 'duh.' "Wasn't exactly the black market over there."

"And what about the Doctor?" Rose asked, guilt making her stomach clench even as her eyes wandered back to the joint.

"We've got two hours," Jack said. "We'll be sober by then. Probably. But either way, I doubt he'll care. He could use some, to be honest."

She nodded, watching him twirl the joint in his hand, and bit her lip.

"Well. Shall I do the honors?" Jack asked.

Rose shrugged, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. She bit the inside of her cheek to stop it spreading. Really. She was nineteen years old, on another world with an alien and a bloke from the future, and, anyway, it's not like she hadn't had a spliff before, was it? No big deal.

Jack caught onto her grin, and his became mischievous as well. He stuck the cigarette into his mouth and pulled a lighter, one of those flip top ones, out of his trouser pocket. He held the flame up to the joint and inhaled deeply, closing his eyes.

Sweet, thick smoke trailed from the glowing orange end of the joint and he opened his eyes, soft smile on his face, as he passed it to Rose. She took it with nimble fingers and held it up to her mouth, puffing once, tentatively. The smoke was sweet, and somehow cool. It had that thick, skunky smell she associated with the weed back home, but it didn't taste burnt. It was, in fact, rather like basil. It didn't hurt as she inhaled, so she took a deeper drag, pulling the smoke into her lungs and holding it. She passed it back to Jack, who shot a small, sly smile at her as he watched her.

"Knew you knew how," he said, and took another deep drag, holding it in for a moment, before blowing smoke rings up at the dark, green sky.

She held her hand out and took the ciggie back from him when he passed it. Leaning back into her seat, she looked up, taking a deep pull on the joint and watching the cherry as it glowed bright orange against the green haze. She exhaled into a smile, glad that the cool, leafy flavour didn't leave her coughing.

The cigarette was already halfway gone after her third long pull, and by the time she got it back from Jack her body was humming. Her face felt relaxed, nearly heavy, and she took her time with another long drag. When he took it back again, she told him to finish it, and looked out into the crowd of people, focussing on the pulse points on her wrists, thinking about floating, and about the little blue box in the sky.

* * *

"This is weird," Rose said. "Really, really weird."

"What is?" Jack asked.

"I'm i_on another planet_/i."

"Yeah. And?"

"And it's bloody hot."

"And?"

"And you!" Rose looked over at him, at his nearly-too-gorgeous face, his big, bright teeth, his flawless hair, his muscular torso, and his long coat. "What are you? I mean, really. You're this... guy. And you dance with me on an invisible ship. And tell me all these mad stories. And now you're smoking me out on some planet with bird people."

"What's wrong with bird people?"

"Nothing." She clenched her eyes shut. "S'just… What if I'm in my room, right? Been in my room this whole time. Dreaming up adventures. Only I've just got really stoned, and I'm on my bed, and I only think I'm on another planet with bird people."

"Oh, you're totally zonked."

"Zonked?" She peeked one eye open, finding Jack watching her closely.

"You know. Blitzed? … High?" He grinned. "High during the blitz? Wouldn't be the first time."

"Ha, good one. Very… good one." She watched a avian-humanoid walk by, this one in a particularly bright shade of turquoise. "Do they dye their feathers, do you reckon?"

"Oh, absolutely. Don't have to get up close and personal to know that. Although..." His tone started off lecherous, but he trailed off, like he'd lost his train of thought.

"Zonked?" she asked, just realising. "That what you call it, mister fifty-first century?"

"What do you call it?"

"I dunno. Stoned?"

"Same difference."

"Are you?" Rose looked over at him.

"Am I what, stoned?"

"Yeah."

He shrugged. "Been more stoned than this."

"Aaah, but you're getting the lingo!" Rose grinned, then paused. "Hey, what about that pizza? And maybe a fizzy drink? I'm really thirsty."

He laughed. "My kinda girl."

Jack stood, stretching his arms up high, his t-shirt riding up his torso. Rose watched him move, eyes drawn to the shifting muscles, and when he caught her he grinned, sending a wink her way. He extended his hand and, when she placed hers in his, pulled her upright. It was a highly disconcerting feeling, as though it took her mind a moment to catch up to her body, but he gave her a moment to adjust, and smiled when she looked up at him.

"Pizza it is," Jack said. "Wait'll you try it. Have you ever eaten seeds and cheese together?"

Rose's eyes widened. "No. That sounds disgusting."

"Don't worry. You'll love it."

"Are you serious? They put seeds on their pizza?"

"Well, they're birds, aren't they? They put a little bit of seed on everything. It's good, trust me."

"If you say so," Rose said, standing up, taking a second to let her mind catch up with her body again, and following Jack down the narrow street.

* * *

"It feels like we've been walking forever," Rose said. She felt a droplet of sweat roll down her back and tugged at her shirt, wiping her skin.

"It's barely been ten minutes," Jack said.

"Are you sure?" Rose looked around, at the way the crowd around them was thinning. She glanced up, to see if it was getting lighter out, and found that the sky was still just as dark, just as hazy green. But then she was overtaken by the height of the buildings. They were all so i_tall_/i, with wide, shimmering windows, and balconies every few floors like perches. She had to stop to get a good look, and planted her hands on her hips. "Hey, can they fly?"

She wasn't sure how long she had been staring straight up, but by the time she found Jack's eyes again, he was watching her. He cocked his head. "Can who fly?"

"The- y'know. The bird people."

The corner of his mouth twitched and he shook his head.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, what?"

"Don't you think you'd see some of them flying around if they could fly?"

Her mouth slipped open. "Oh."

"C'mon," he said, and slipped his arm through the crook of her elbow. "Before the pizza place closes."

* * *

The pizza place was closed.

Jack cupped his hands around his eyes and pressed his face to the glass storefront, looking in at the shopkeep. Rose could see him just fine from where she was standing, so she wasn't sure why Jack was pressed so closely, but then again, cool glass might feel nice against her buzzing face. If it wouldn't take so much effort to move a few steps closer.

The shopkeep shook his head, hands held out in front of him, palms up.

"We're too late," Jack said.

It took a few seconds for the words to form in Rose's mind. "Um. Can't we go somewhere else?"

Jack pushed off the glass, still glaring into the shop, and turned to Rose. "'Fraid not. It's 5:45. Gotta head to the tower."

"Oi, but…"

"What?"

She bit her lip, voice very small. "I'm thirsty."

"City's closing up, Rose. Whole place is basically on lockdown at dawn. I'm sure there'll be some water at the tower. But we need to go." He tugged at her hand, starting to turn around.

"Wait!"

"Yeah?" He stopped.

"I'm still stoned." Rose swallowed, throat dry. "He's gonna know."

Jack tugged her closer by her hand and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "C'mon. You're fine. And anyway, he won't care."

* * *

Rose peeked out as the elevator doors opened onto the wide, open veranda at the top of the tower. Jack breezed past her, and she let her feet trudge slowly once he had a strong lead.

The Doctor was seated at a rectangular table near the edge of the covered balcony. There was one long, padded bench facing the table, so that anyone seated there would look out into the view. Best of all, the table was covered in treats: Rose could see the pitcher of cola-coloured beverage already, and quickened her steps, bypassing the Doctor (and his cheery 'hello!') in her singular mission to get a drink.

She wrapped her fingers extra securely around a glass, poured the drink, and downed it all in a series of long, messy gulps. Then, she refilled it, drank some more, and stifled a large burp with an embarrassed look and a hand at her mouth.

"All right?" the Doctor asked.

"The pizza place was closed," Rose said, looking out into the view of the city. "Blimey, we're high, aren't we?"

Jack let out a bark of laughter where he stood at the veranda's edge and Rose flushed as she realised what she said.

"I mean, this building. It's the tallest one."

"That it is," the Doctor said. "That's sort of the point."

"Why?" Rose asked.

The men didn't answer, but she forgot all about the question before she could bother repeating it. She stared for a long moment at the still-dark sky, feeling the remnants of cola-fizz in her mouth, focussing on the way her tired feet were throbbing in her trainers. It was cooler up here, almost pleasant. Her eyes were pretty well glazed over when the Doctor cleared his throat, interrupting her daze.

"Care for some food, perhaps?" he asked. "Since the pizza place was closed."

"Thanks, Doc, don't mind if I do!" Jack said from behind the Doctor, grabbing a slice of pizza from a large, steaming pie. He'd already taken a huge bite, and got a fair bit of sauce on his chin, by the time he actually sat down.

"Rose?" The Doctor watched her with a small smile. "Half of it's seedless."

"Right, um." She sat down with a thump in between the Doctor and Jack, unsure of whether her reaction time was actually terribly slow, or just felt that way.

"Here," the Doctor said, pushing a plate with a slice on it. "Seedless."

The scent hit her all at once and she sighed, leaning over the plate. "Oh, wow. This smells gorgeous."

"Tastes even better," Jack said, mouth full. "Try one with seeds, too."

She picked up her slice, took a huge bite and closed her eyes, savouring the flavours as they exploded across her tongue. She chewed slowly, swallowed, and opened her eyes to find both men watching her with amused, affectionate looks.

"This is the best thing I've ever tasted," Rose said.

Jack laughed. "It's not that good, Rose. Pretty good, but not that good."

"No, shut up. Don't ruin this for me." She took another bite. "This is the perfect pizza."

"It's not bad," the Doctor agreed, grabbing a slice himself and shooting Rose a wily grin. "It's the herbs, you see. Lucis Honoratae is known for its herbs."

Rose stifled a giggle around another large bite of pizza.

"What?" the Doctor asked, but he was smiling.

"Nothing," Rose said, biting the side of her tongue with her back teeth. "What've you been doing this whole time, anyway?"

"Setting this up. What do you think?" the Doctor said, his tone a little petulant. "Takes work, you know. Prospectus Tower's usually booked months in advance, a different party every morning. Not a huge tourist population, here, but the ones who come want to come here. Had to do the building superintendent a big favour to get her to lend me the keys to the veranda."

"Ha. You did her a favour, hm?" Jack raised and lowered his eyebrows.

"Not like ithat/i."

"Like what, then?"

"If you must know, I upgraded the ventilation in the building using a new coolant and filtration system."

Rose scrunched up her nose. "That sounds awful."

"Nah, it was fun. Quick, too. Who doesn't like HVAC work once in a while?"

"What'd you do after that?" Rose asked, reaching over to grab a second slice. "You should've come with us."

"Well, I couldn't, see, cause then I had to go 'round the pizza place and get us a pie and some fizzy drink. Apparently you two didn't make it till after the place was closed. Not to mention I had to set this all up." He smiled, eyebrows raised.

"Still. Should've been there, Doc," Jack said. "Rose was zonked. Would've liked to see you that way too."

"Me?" He shook his head. "Nah. Tetrahydrocannabinol doesn't do anything for me. Not like you lot."

"Care to prove that?" Jack asked.

"Another time," the Doctor said.

"Holding you to it. Now, pass me another slice, hm?"

The Doctor slid the pizza box over and Jack took a slice, insisting first that Rose give the seeded pizza a try. It was weird, but not terrible. The earthy flavor of the seeds paired well with the tomato and herbs, but the crunch was a bit odd. Luckily he and the Doctor had finished the half of the pie with seeds, so she didn't feel any pressure to deviate from the regular kind for her third slice. When they finished the pizza, drank the last of the cola, and leaned back on the soft bench, Rose closed her eyes, letting the dissipating hum in her body and the fullness in her belly take over. She was ready for a nap, even if she'd only been up a few hours.

"Rose," the Doctor said, and his voice was very close to her ear. "You may want to open your eyes for this part. It's why we're here."

She obliged, looking out into the view off the veranda. On the horizon, where smaller skyscrapers tapered off into grassy fields in the distance, was a rising light. Only, instead of the sunrise she expected, there was a swirling pattern of stars around a central cluster. Bands of light twirled off in every direction, made up of countless twinkling stars, shining in yellow and blue and orange. In between the stars, or perhaps as a backdrop, were clouds of purple gas, which set off the swirls in patterns across the sky.

"Oh," Rose gasped.

"This is the best part," Jack said.

"What i_is/i _it?" Rose asked. "It's huge, it's like a whole…"

"Galaxy? It is. That's the rise of the IC1101. The largest lenticular galaxy in this quadrant," the Doctor said. "This view, it's what the planet's known for."

"It's..." Rose trailed off.

"Fantastic," the Doctor said, voice hushed.

"Worth a favour or two," Jack added.

Rose nodded, silent, watching the glimmering galaxy rise over the horizon. She caught herself holding her breath and forced herself to breathe slow and deep. Although she felt mostly normal again, the sense of surreality from before reclaimed her, and she wondered how she'd got here, how this could even exist. How was it possible she was here, and not in her room dreaming it all up?

The Doctor turned his body and she felt his eyes on her, looked up at him to see the gentle smile on his face. He took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Thank you," she said, smiling back at him. She turned to look at Jack, who was still chewing, and looking calm and happy. "Thank you too. For showing me around."

Jack raised his pizza slice in a toast with a nod and Rose laughed, eyes moving back to the galaxy rising slowly in the sky.

Shifting over, Rose dared to lay her head on the Doctor's shoulder. He stilled for a second, his hand going stiff in hers, his posture tense. But then she felt him exhale and his whole body relaxed. He leaned his head against the top of hers, and though it wasn't quite a nuzzle, it was something like it. She smiled and squeezed his large, calloused hand, then brushed the fingers of her other hand against his knuckles. She let out a little sigh of her own, and blinked back the mist in her eyes.

The galaxy grew brighter as it appeared fully over the horizon, slanted and twinkling and huge, taking up so much more of the sky than even the largest of sunrises. It was a quiet moment, suspended in time, gorgeous and utterly brilliant.

"Trust me," Jack said, loud, around his last bite of pizza, "it's even better when you're i_fully/i _zonked when it starts."

The Doctor laughed and Rose scrunched up her nose, hiding her face in his jacket.

* * *

"So that's why the people go inside right before dawn? To watch the galaxy rise?" Rose asked as they walked through the deserted street, back towards the TARDIS. She looked up at the hazy green sky, but she could barely make out the galaxy now. The atmosphere was too dense to see it beyond a vague outline, now that it was day.

"Nah. It's old news to them," the Doctor said, letting his hand swing gently in hers as they walked. Her palm was sweaty, but he didn't seem to mind. "They're just nocturnal, that's all. Too hot during the day."

"Think we can wait till nightfall before we go?" Jack asked. "Or just pop in there and fast forward to tonight?"

"What for?" The Doctor shot a look behind him at Jack.

"Oh, y'know. Just thought we might have a chance to bolster the local economy a little more. Could think of a few things I'd like to take to go."

"Mm," Rose said. "Bet you can."

"Don't think so," the Doctor said. "Best be on our way. Places to go."

"Well, how about you sonic open that lock?" Jack nodded towards a locked gemma cart at the side of the road.

"Definitely not."

"I'll leave a credit stick behind."

The Doctor was silent, but he shot a disapproving look behind him.

"With extra credits! Promise."

The Doctor shook his head, eyes narrowed. "Nope. Everything in moderation, hm?"

Jack heaved a dramatic sigh.

"Where're we going next, Doctor?" Rose asked, squeezing his hand.

"Hmm." He narrowed his eyes, thinking, though she had a feeling it was all for show. "How do you feel about going somewhere cold next?"

Rose shrugged, pressing her lips together as she smiled. "Yeah. That sounds good."


End file.
